The invention relates to wound dressings, and more particularly to a thin film composite dressing with an absorbent pad and a frame delivery system for the dressing.
Hydrocolloid adhesive compositions that are formed as wound dressings have been known for many years. Typically, these compositions comprise a blend of a polymer matrix, such as a rubbery elastomer like polyisobutylene, in combination with one or more water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloids, such as a dry powdered mixture of pectin, gelatin and carboxymethylcellulose. The adhesive composition is usually coated on at least one surface of a water-insoluble film to form a relatively thick, heavy wound dressing.
Commercially available examples of hydrocolloid wound dressings include xe2x80x9cDUODERM(trademark)xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cDUODERM(trademark) EXTRA-THINxe2x80x9d wound dressing (a product of Convatec; Squibb and Sons, Inc., Princeton, N.J.; believed to be a KRATON(trademark)-based composition); TEGASORB(trademark) wound dressing (a product of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn.; a polyisobutylene-based composition); RESTORE(trademark) wound dressing (a product of Hollister, Inc., Libertyville, Ill.; believed to be an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)-based composition); and COMFEEL(trademark) wound dressing (a product of Coloplast International, Espergaerde, Denmark; believed to be a KRATON(trademark)-based composition). See, also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,231,369; 4,477,325; 4,551,490; 4,738,257 and 5,633,010.
The delivery system for most of the above examples provide a simple release liner to protect the tacky hydrocolloid surface. One exception to this class is the TEGASORB(trademark) wound dressing. This product has a thin, adhesive coated polymeric backing extended beyond the edges of the absorbent hydrocolloid pad to form a border that will adhere to the skin and provide barrier to outside contamination as well as keep wound fluid contained providing for a longer wear time.
A successful delivery system has been used on Tegaderm(trademark) transparent dressings (a product of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn.). The Tegaderm(trademark) dressing comprises a thin polyurethane with an adhesive on one surface and a carrier or frame that facilitates application. The Tegaderm(trademark) transparent dressing, however, does not include a hydrocolloid or absorbent pad. See, also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,855.
PCT Patent Publication No. WO 98/00080 shows the combination of a package and a medical adhesive composite, such as a dressing. See, also, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 408,541; 409,754 and 410,087 and U.S. Pat. No. (USSN: 08/887,523, filed Jul. 2, 1997), which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention provides an absorbent dressing and delivery system that facilitates handling the extremely thin, flexible film border of the dressing during delivery to prevent wrinkling and adhering the film of the dressing to itself, which otherwise would interfere with the smooth, aseptic application of the dressing to a patient""s skin.
The island dressing composite of the invention provides a carrier delivered dressing having a conformable backing with a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on a bottom and a absorbent pad positioned on the adhesive, and which is supported by a removable carrier attached to the top face of the backing. In particular, the present invention overcomes the problems discussed above by securing the carrier to the top face of the backing with an overlapping form.
Furthermore, in one embodiment, the method and apparatus of the present invention provide such a carrier delivered dressing in which the window is optionally removed prior to use by the consumer, thereby minimizing the steps necessary to apply the dressings and reducing the waste stream at the consumer level.
In particular, the present invention provides an adhesive composite dressing comprising: (a) a conformable backing having top and bottom faces; (b) a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on at least a portion of the bottom face of the backing; (c) a absorbent or medicated pad primarily in the center portion; (d) a liner releasably adhered to the pressure sensitive adhesive opposite the backing; and (e) a carrier releasably attached to and covering at least a portion of the top face of the backing, the carrier being nonpermanently attached to the backing and a cut in the carrier substantially defining a window proximate a center of the carrier and overlapping at least a portion of the pad, the carrier further being formed of material substantially more rigid than the backing to provide rigidity to the adhesive composite. The composite dressing may also include an optional low adhesion coating on the top face of the backing, in between the carrier and the top face of the backing.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and objects obtained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.